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City of Espoo’s translation services, Privacy notice

Date of publication: 23 June 2026

1. Purpose of and grounds for processing personal data

Personal data is generally used in Espoo for the provision, planning and assessment of activities and services and for statistical purposes.

In connection with the City of Espoo’s translation services, personal data is processed to enable the city to carry out its statutory duties and to operate and communicate in a multilingual environment. Translation services ensure that information related to the city’s services, decision-making and communications is available in an understandable form for speakers of different languages.

Personal data may be processed in materials submitted for translation, for example, when documents, decisions, instructions, forms or other communications contain information related to identifiable individuals. The personal data processed is limited to what is necessary for the translation work.

Purposes for processing personal data:

  • to produce translations for the City of Espoo’s internal and external use;
  • to ensure equal access to city services and information;
  • to support official communications, decision-making and customer service in different languages;
  • to fulfil statutory obligations regarding linguistic rights, good governance, and accessibility.

Translation services are provided by the city’s in-house translators as well as by translation agencies contracted through the city’s competitive tendering process. Contracted service providers are required to comply with data protection legislation and the city’s data protection guidelines, and to ensure the confidentiality and security of the data.

In this service, personal data is processed on the following legal grounds:

  • For the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.

2. What data is processed and what are the sources of data?

It is necessary to process the following data to provide the service:

Materials sent to translation agencies may contain ordinary personal data (e.g. the names, job titles, contact details and photographs of people interviewed for city news articles, as well as other information provided by the interviewees).

As a rule, the materials submitted for translation are public. The City of Espoo’s website is available in three languages, and most texts submitted for translation are intended for publication on the Swedish and English versions of espoo.fi or in other city communications.

In individual cases, confidential documents may need to be translated if this is necessary for the handling of a particular matter. Such data is processed only to the extent necessary and with enhanced information security measures.

The personal data processed in connection with the City of Espoo’s translation services is obtained primarily from documents, applications, messages and other information related to a person’s dealings with the city that the person has submitted to the city and that must be translated in order to process a matter. Personal data is also obtained from the City of Espoo’s own operations and information systems, as well as from other authorities, public operators, or contracted service providers.

3. How long is data stored?

Personal data is stored for as long as it is necessary for the provision of the service or required by legislation. In terms of this service, data is deleted as follows:

The City of Espoo’s Translation Services Unit does not archive confidential information. Contracted translation agencies must delete confidential information and any files containing such information one month after delivering the translation, or immediately if requested to do so by the City of Espoo’s representative who commissioned the translation.

Contracted translation agencies store materials received from the city only for the duration of the contract period.

4. Parties processing or receiving data

4.1 Parties processing data on behalf of the City of Espoo

Personal data is processed by the City of Espoo’s office-holders and employees as well as external operators from whom the City of Espoo purchases services or with whom the City of Espoo carries out cooperation projects. We only select contracting partners who comply with good personal data processing practices and meet the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation. Compliance with data protection requirements is ensured through written agreements.

We use external operators in the provision of this service. Contracted translation agencies as of 1 August 2026: Acolad Finland, Lingsoft, Suomen Asioimistulkkikeskus, Suomen Tulkkauspalvelu.

4.2 Disclosure of data to other organisations

Data is disclosed to the person requesting it in accordance with the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.

In this service, data is not disclosed to other organisations.

5. Will data be transferred outside the EU/EEA?

The data will not be transferred outside the EU or the EEA.

6. Rights of the data subject

The General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union guarantees you various rights in terms of the processing of your personal data. You can read more about your rights and how to exercise them on the City of Espoo website: Data protection.

7. Data controller

City of Espoo

7.1 Contact person of the register

If you have questions or need more detailed information on the processing of personal data, you can contact the contact person of the register:

Virpi Pakkala, Communications Manager, virpi.pakkala@espoo.fi

Change history

  1. Date of publication 23.6.2026